Bottle lifter



April 8 1952 o. l.. ENGsTRoM 2,592,017

BOTTLE LIFTER Filed Oct. ll, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET l IN V EN TOR. OSCAR .ENGSTROM ATTK April 8, 1952 o. ENGsTRoM 2,592,017

' BOTTLE LIFTER 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed O01.. ll, 1947 44 j' Y lll '1111A 'll/*Lf mijnvllllllllllllHI/rlulllllllllllllllll l Patented 'prr 8, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application October 11, 1947, -Serial No. 779,278

6 Claims. l

This invention relates to bottle lifters, and more particularly to a .bottle lifter .adapted to belowered over the necks, of a group o'f bottles to .grip the same so that they may be raised or transferred to another location.

One object of this invention is to provide a device of the above nature having a pair of superposed apertured plates which are relatively slidable for gripping the necks of the bottles.

Another object is to Vprovide a device 'of the above nature in which the group of'bottle necks will be gripped quickly and eiliciently by .actuation of a single operating lever.

Another object vis to provide a device of 'the above nature, wherein thebottle :gripping .plates will be resiliently urged to non-grippingipos'ition and will be automatically locked in'gripping'position when manually" moved to 'grip'the'bottles Another object is to provide a 'device of the above nature, in whichv the'm'eans for loperating the gripping plates, andthe manually-releasable automatic lock for the operating means `are mounted on the yoke-shaped handle Yof the lifter.

' Another object is Ato provide a ldevice of the above nature which includes 'guide Asurfaces kfor facilitating the convenient insertion of thelifter into a bottle-carrying case, Vand conical locating means for correctly positioning the'bottle necks in said lifter.

A further object is toprovide a device of the above nature which will be simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install and manipulate, compact, and very efficient and durable in use.

With these and other objects in view, there has been illustrated on the accompanying drawing one form in which the linvention may conveniently be embodied in practice.

In the drawings,

Fig. l shows a plan view of the improved bottle lifter.

Fig. 2 is a front -elevation-thereof, partly broken away to show the operating spring.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary end elevation showing the lifter yin engagement with a bottle in abottlecarrying case.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentaryV front elevation partly in section, and on anV enlargedscale, of one vend portion of the bottle lifter.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a corner portion of the Vbottle lifter.

Referring now to the'drawings'inwhich like reference numerals denote corresponding "parts throughout the several views, the numeral fIIl'indicates generally a', vsheet metal frame including 2 anat substantially rectangular baseplate II of a size to 't within a bottle-carrying case indicated generally by the letter 'C (Fig. 3). The four edge portions of Vthe frame I0 are bent downwardly to form side a'nges I2, and two pairs of spaced end flanges I3 for reinforcing the base plate II,

said anges 'being inclined inwardly slightly to provide guiding surfaces to facilitate the insertion ofthe lifter frame YI0 into the top of the bottle-carrying case C. The corners of the base plate II are rounded to .provide proper'clearance.

Theends of the carrier frame I0 are provided with upwardly bent portions between the pairs ofend anges I3 `forming a pair of upstanding brackets I4, I5 for mounting 'a tubular handle IB abovey and 'parallel to the base plate II.

Tapped plugs I'I are welded into each end of the handle I6, and screws' I8 are entered through apertures in the upper endsof the brackets I4, I5, and threadedinto said plug I1 for securing the handle I6l in operating position. The screws I8 also hold a pair of voutwardly-extending anged apertured ears I9 against the outer face of each bracket I4, I5, whereby a lifting means, such as a Vchain (not shown) may be readily attached to the lifter.

The a't base plate II is further provided with four rows of regularly arranged circular apertures 20 placedV to correspond with the position and number of bottles in the case C. An upper plate 2-I is also provided having apertures 22, like in number, position, and shape, to the apertures 20 of the plate II, andv said upper plate 2| is supported in parallel stationary relation to the plate II by spacer washers 23 embracing screws 24 passing through the base plate Il and the upper plate 2|, and rigidly secured in position by nuts 25.

A `bottle-gripping slide -26 is conned between the base plate 'II and the upper plate 2I-being provided with slots 21 which embrace the washers 23. Apertures 28, like in number and position to the apertures V2II and 22 are formed in the bottle-gripping slide 26 to cooperate with the apertures 20 and '22,to provideopenings 28a for the passageof the vbottle necks.

It will be vnoted'that the apertures `2|) in the base plate II andthe apertures 22 `in the upper plate 2| are circular, while the apertures 28 in the bottle-gripping slide A26 have eccentric bearing sides 29 in opposed relation to the opposite circular sides 30 thereof, whereby the apertures 28 are slightly oval in order to insure that full clearance will beV provided for the insertion of the bottle necks therein.

The bottle-gripping slide 26 is urged to nongripping position (that is, to the right in Fig. 2) by a coiled spring 3| having its respective ends secured to a lug 3 I a mounted on the lower surface of the slide 26, and to a lug 3Ib mounted on the lower surface of the base plate II. A slot 32 in the base plate II provides clearance for movement of the lug 3Ia when the slide 26 is moved. Thus, the bottle receiving springs of the frame are normally maintained in their enlarged condition.

In order to operate the slide 26 to constrict the openings 28a, a lug 33 is secured, as by riveting, to the upper surface of one end of said slide-a slot 34 being provided in the end of the upperY plate 2I to permit movement of said lug.

A horizontal pin 35 connects the lug 33 to the lower end of a bell-crank operating lever 36 having an upper portion entered through a slot 31 in the lower side ofthe tubular handle I6 and pivoted therein by a horizontal pin 38. The operatinglever 36 extends beyond the pin 38 in a position b'elow the handle I6,` and parallel thereto, to form a hand grip 39 of suitable rounded shape.

' In order to lock the slide 26 in bottle-gripping position against the force of the spring 3I, provi- 4sion is made of a latch 40 which extends vertically through an upper aperture 4I and a lower aperture 42 in the tubular handle I6 and located adjacent the end of the hand grip 39, said latch being pivoted in the handle I6 as by a horizontal pin 43. e

A lower hooked end 44 of the latch 40 is engageable in a notch 45 of the hand grip 39 to hold it in raised position-said hooked end being urged into engagement with said notch by a coiled spring 46 connected at one end to the latch 40 above the pin 43, and having its opposite end anchored. to a cross pin 4'I .located within the handle I6. A slotted arcuate plate 48 embraces the upper end of the latch 40 and covers the aperture4l. Y- l `In order to limit the opening or bottle-releasing movement of the slide 26, provision is made of a stop screw 49 which has a lock nut 50 and is threaded into the bracket I5 centrally thereof, so as to Aadjustably limit the movement of the operating lever 36. For limiting the downward movement of the base of the carrier plate II, in the bottle-carrying case C provision is made at each ofthe four corners of the frame I of a stop member` I of inverted U-shape riveted to the upper plate 2I and spanning the corner openings 28a. Thus, when the bottle lifter has been lowered into the top of the bottle-carrying case C, as shown in Fig. 3, the stop members 5I will engage the enlarged heads 52 of bottles B at the corners of the case C, so that the bottle lifter will be correctly positioned to grip the bottles below the enlarged heads 52.

The base plate I I is further provided with ilaring skirt-shaped annular guide members 53 secured to the bottom of the base plate I0, as by welding, in a position surrounding and concentric with each aperture 20. Thus, the bottles will be guided into correct position in the openings of the frame even though they may be slightly out of alignment therewith.

Operation In operation, the improved bottle lifter will rst be lowered into the open top of the bottle carrying case C, as shown in Fig. 3, to loosely embrace the necks of bottles B Within the openings 28a of the frame.

The side anges I2, being inclined inwardly, and the corners of the lifter being rounded, the step of insertion will be facilitated, and the lifter will be lowered until the corner stops 5I come into contact with the enlarged heads 52 at the tops of the bottles, thereby locating the lifter in its correct gripping position.

The hand grip 39 will then be manipulated to move the slide .26 to the left in Fig. 4, thereby gripping the bottle necks between the sides of the apertures 20, 22, in the stationary plates II, 2I, and the eccentric bearing sides 29 of the slide 26. At the same time, the spring-pressed latch will automatically engage inthe notch of the grip 39 to retain the lever 36 and the slide 26 securely in bottle-gripping position.

The lifter ywill'now-be raised manually or by any desired auxiliary means and transferred to the location at which it is desired to deposit the bottles. In this connection, it will be understood that if desired, the apertured ears I9 will provide convenient means by whicha cable or other lifting means may be attached to the said operator.

After the bottles are deposited in the desired location, the upwardly-projecting end of the latch 40 may be manually swung to the right, whereupon the spring 3I will force the slide 26 to the right in order to release the bottles so that the lifter may be removed therefrom.

One advantage of the improved bottle lifter herein disclosed is that the hand grip means for operating the slide andthe latch are conveniently located to permit a natural engagement by the l operators hand upon the handle I6. Thus in handling the lifter, the operators lingers may readily engage the hand grip 39 in the position in which they will be used for raising the lifter.

After the lifter has been transferred to the place where the bottles are to be deposited, the upper end of the lock lever 40 will be in convenient position to be tripped by the operators thumb for releasing the bottles. y

Another advantage of the present invention is that the lifter includes no pivoted bottle gripping parts, and that the gripping slide is conned and guided between protecting plates so that it is not likely to get out of order.

Another advantage is that the lifter may be easily manufactured Vsince the frame is formed from a single piece of sheet metal, and the lifter includes only three moving parts, including the latch for locking the operating means.

Another advantage is that the vannular guide member 53 and the spring 3| are protected by the downwardly-extending flanges of the frame so that they will not be injured when the empty lifter is set down upon the floor.

While the lifter in this instance is provided with a series of twenty-four openings, it will be understood that this number may be varied in accordance with -the capacity of the bottle-carrying cases which are used within the spirit and scope of the invention.

While there has been disclosed in this specication one form in which the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that this form is shown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention is not to be limited to the specific disclosure, but may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit. In short, the invention includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described the invention,

what is claimed as new, and for which it is desired to secure Letters Patent, is:

1. In a lifter for a plurality of bottles, a base plate provided with a series of apertures, a slide mounted on said base plate and provided with a series of apertures adapted to register with the base plate apertures, means comprising a single horizontal handle secured to said oase plate for raising said lifter, slide-moving means for constricting said base plate apertures including a lever pivotally secured to said handle and connected to said slide, said level` comprising a hand grip extending horizontally `below said handle. and aspring urging said slide to bring the slide apertures into register with the base plate aperu tures, whereby a plurality of bottles may be engaged upon grasping and lifting said handle with one hand.

2. The invention as dened in claim l, including' a latch pivotally mounted on said handle for detachably locking said lever and so disposed as to be operable by the thumb of the hand grasping said handle, whereby said lever and said slide may be held in a position to constrict the oase plate aperture around the necks of said bottles against the force of said spring.

3. Ina bottle lifter, a base plate provided with a series of apertures, mechanism for gripping bottle necks in said apertures, means for operating said mechanism, downturned reinforcing iianges at the ends oi said base plate, a pair of central upturned brackets integral with the ends of said base plate, and a single handle disposed parallel to and directly above the longitudinal axis of said base plate and secured tothe upper ends of said brackets, said operating means be ing so arranged with respect to said handle that bottles may be gripped and lifted in the lifter by the use of one hand.

4. In a bottle lifter, an apertured horizontal base plate, an apertured slide adapted to grip bottle necks in the base plate apertures, a pair of upwardly extending brackets on said base plate, a tubular handle mounted on said brackets and disposed parallel to and directly above the longitudinal axis of said base plate, and a bellcrank lever pivotally connected to said slide and to said handle adjacent one end thereof for operating said slide, said lever comprising a vertically swingable hand grip disposed adjacent the lower side of said handle.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4, including a spring mounted on said frame for urging said slide to non-gripping position.

6. The invention as defined in claim 5, includ ing a latch mounted on said handle and engageable with said lever to retain said slide in gripping position against the force of said spring, said latch having a portion extending upwardly from said handle above said hand grip, whereby the operator may operate said hand grip and said latch without changing the location of his hand upon the lifter handle.

OSCAR L. ENGSTROM.

REFERENCES CITED The fol-lowing references are of record in the le of this patent: 

